holy holy holy the crap

was it my training this week?

was it my eating?

was it my hearty corn-subsidized breakfast?

was it the hour i spent in the presence last night of crazy man dean?

was it the mild weather?

was it my magic sunglasses? my magic underpants? my magic shoes? my magic socks? my magic superfeet? my magic Infected Mushroom?

was it my POE?

was it the humility and trepidation which sat with me before i began?

was it the $30 hydration belt i bought last night but didn't really use? was it ... i really dunno. will i do it again? i reckon so, since when i stopped i felt just as i did two weeks ago after 6 miles, only much much less thirsty: like i had at least another 2 miles in me.

here's the 1000 word version (click it, youse):

1 hour 18 mins, 8.19 miles, 1800 feet of ascent, 1800 feet of descent, all at a 9:33 pace, that's faster than my "weekday" 3.5 mile pace of about 10:00. that's 2 miles past my previous best distance. i lost 5lbs and i'm not hungry or tired. yet :)

i drank a little of the gatorade i had strapped on me, but i did it more because i bought the gorram thing and i bloody well wanted to give it a use the first time out. well, that i did, and i learned how to properly close the little bottle if i don't want to spill gatorade all over my pants. i didn't resort to eating the clif-brand energy goo that i bought. i'm 1 0 for many on eating goo during physical activity.

i didn't do laps like i did for the 6 miler, either. i explored and found some excellent little neighborhoods with some really nice little hills.

and tomorrow, according to plan, i'm going trail running for the first time ever.

meanwhile, my bench press is plah-toe-ing, but really, how much can i complain when i'm still busting records of one sort or another?